Four Afghan men were sentenced to death over the mob killing of a woman in Kabul in March. The 28-year-old Farkhunda was beaten to death after being accused of burning a copy of the Quran, although witnesses say she did not.
It took just four days for the verdicts to be reached. Eight men were sentenced to 16 years in prison and 18 others found not guilty. A decision in the case of 19 policemen accused of failing in their duty to prevent the attack is expected on Sunday, BBC reported.
The four men sentenced to death were convicted of murder, in part on the basis of mobile phone footage of the attack that was played in court during the five-day trial.
Farkhunda’s brother said her family was not satisfied with the verdict and that all of the main defendants should be put to death.
Several protests against religious extremism and violence against women sprung up in Kabul, including one in the last week that re-enacted the attack.
The attack on Farkhunda on 19 March shocked many Afghans, taking place as it did in the heart of the capital and under the eyes of the police.
Farkhunda was beaten to death before her body was driven over by a car, dragged through the streets and then set on fire.
Some of the attackers recorded the brutal killing on their cell phones and footage was later uploaded to social media sites, including some that appeared to show a policeman taking part in the attack and pushing Farkhunda onto a roof.
